Pressurized container assembly



Dec. 12, 1967 E. 0. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,

PRESSURIZED CONTAINER ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 18, 1966 INVENTORS EARLE D. CRAWFORD ALBERT E. DANIELS United States Patent 3,357,601 PRESSURIZED CONTAINER ASSEMBLY Earle D. Crawford, Orchard Park, and Albert E. Daniels,

Wiliiamsviile, N.Y., assignors to Impact Container Corporation. Alden, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 528,530 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-397) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pressurized fiuid container having a threaded neck and sealed by a similarly threaded cap which bears a threaded bushing through which the pressurized fluid is dispensed by a control valve mounted on the cap.

This invention relates in general to pressurizable containers of the type used for storing and dispensing fluids such as fuel gas, aerosol sprays, liquids, etc., contained under pressure. More particularly, the invention is directed to a pressurized container assembly construction wherein the container is sealed by means of a closure cap secured by a threaded connection to a neck portion of the container.

Essentially, the pressurized container assembly of the instant invention uses a container adapted to contain a pressurized fluid and having an aperture defined by a threaded neck portion. The closure cap has a threaded portion disposed in operative engagement with the threaded container neck and is provided with a bushing portion defining a fluid flow passage therethrough to accommodate dispensing of pressurized fluid. Dispensing of fluid is controlled by a dispensing valve operatively connected to the closure cap and disposed in communication with the fiow passage extending through the bushing portion. Preferably, the dispensing valve is disposed within the container and is connected to the closure cap by a threaded fitting means. Whatever dispensing valve to closure cap connection is used, it is necessary that the fiow passage be normally sealed by the dispensing valve, and be open only when said valve is operated to dispense fluid from the container.

In addition to the dispensing valve, the invention provides for the inclusion of a safety valve in the container assembly, such safety valve being arranged for communication with the interior of the container and with the external ambient atmosphere to relieve excess internal fluid pressure within the container. According to one embodiment of the invention, the safety valve is supported within a sleeve member welded to the container wall and extending therethrough into the interior of the container, whereas another embodiment of the invention provides for supporting the safety valve within a similar sleeve member afiixed to the closure cap and extending therethrough into the container. Hence, like the dispensing valve, the safety valve is housed principally, if not entirely within the container, so that it has no protruding parts which could easily be damaged.

One of the advantages of the invention lies in its use of threaded fastening connections between the closure cap and container and in the mounting of the dispensing and safety valves. This enables the container assembly to be fabricated simply and without the need for heavy presses and other specialized tools as are required in the case of container assemblies wherein the caps, valves and container body are secured together by rolling or crimping means.

In addition, the invention provides a container assembly wherein the parts are more readily salvageable for reuse, as compared to container assemblies with press roll or crimp fastenings.

3,357,601 Patented Dec. 12, 1967 It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide a pressurizable container assembly for storing and dispensing pressurized fluids, such as gases, liquids, and multi-component mixtures thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container assembly as aforesaid which can be assembled by means of simple tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container assembly as aforesaid wherein the parts are easily salvaged for re-use.

Still another and further object of the invention is to provide a container assembly as aforesaid incorporating a safety valve for relieving excess internal pressure.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of a container assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of a container assembly according to another embodiment of the invention.

As illustrated by FIG. 1, the pressurized container assembly 10 includes a container 11 in the form of a substantially enclosed cylinder or bottle which is adapted to contain a fluid, such as a gas, liquid, or liquid plus gaseous propellant combination, etc. (not shown) under pressure, and which is provided with an aperture 12 defined by a threaded neck portion 13. This aperture 12 accommodates the installation of a closure cap 14, which has a threaded portion 15 disposed for engagement with the threaded neck 13 to seal the aperture 12. The closure cap 14 is provided with a bushing portion 16 defining a fluid fiow passage 17 extending therethrough to accommodate dispensing of pressurized fluid from the container 11, said fluid dispensing being controlled by a valve 18 which is connected to the closure cap 14 by a threaded fitting means 19 for support thereby.

The dispensing valve 18 is of the normally closedrtype and is disposed for communication with the interior of container 11 and with the flow passage 17 so that when the valve 18 is opened, the fluid inside container 11 flows through said valve 18 and out through the passage 17. For example, as illustrated, the valve 18 has a stem 20 positioned for axial movement within a guide sleeve 21. A spring 22 forces the head 23 of the valve stem 20 against a gasket 24 thereby effecting a gas-tight seal. When the valve stem 20 is pressed inwardly against the force of spring 22, flow communication is established from the interior of container 11 through sleeve 21 and out through the passage 17.

The bushing portion 16 is prefer-ably threaded as at 25 to accommodate the coupling thereto of a similarly threaded conduit means 26 for receiving fluid dispensed from the container 11. The conduit means 26 is expediently provided with a depressor member 27 which when said conduit means 26 is screwed onto the bushing 16, depresses the valve stem 20 to effect delivery of fluid from the container 11 through said conduit means 26.

It should be noted that with this type of dispensing valve 18, an increase of internal fluid pressure, such as may be occasioned by heating, will tend to aid the spring force in holding the valve 18 closed, and hence the invention provides a safety valve 28 disposed for communication with the interior of the container 11 and with the external ambient atmosphere for relieving excess internal pressure within said container 11.

To permit easy installation and replacement of the safety valve 28, as when assembling prior to fluid filling, or in the salvaging of parts from emptied container assemblies 10, the safety valve 28 is disposed within a support sleeve 29 which extends into the container 11 and is internally threaded to receive a similarly threaded valve guide sleeve 30. Thus, both the sleeve 29 and the valve 28 contained therein extend into the container 11 and are hereby protected from handling damage as is the dispensing valve 18.

The safety valve support sleeve 29 can be either mounted to and through the closure cap 14 for support thereby as in FIG. 1, or can be extended through the container wall area of the stem head 34 and the spring 33 preload.

If replaceability of the safety valve 28 is not desired, the support sleeve 29 and the valve guide sleeve 30 can be combined into a unitary sleeve (not shown) which is welded to the closure cap 14 or to the wall 31 as desired.

While a variety of safety valve 28 constructions can be used, provided that they are normally closed below the intended relief pressure, a reseatable, spring-loaded safety valve 28, somewhat similar in construction to the dispensing valve 18, is preferably used. For example, a safety valve 28 having a valve stem 32 disposed for axial movement within the guide sleeve 30 and against the force of a spring 33 can be expediently used. With such an arrangement, the spring 33 is preloaded to hold the stem head 34 against a seat gasket 35 with sufficient force to maintain a gas-tight seal therebetween up to a predetermined pressure which is the relief pressure established by the effective area of the stem head 34 and the spring 33 preloaded.

As exemplified by FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention is susceptible of more than one embodiment. For example, in the container assembly of FIG. 2, the neck portion 13' is internally threaded to accommodate the securing of an externally threaded closure cap 14'. The closure cap 14' dilfers from the machined body type of closure cap 14 in that it comprises a sheet metal cap portion 36 with an integrally formed pedestal 37 perforated as at 38 to define a fluid flow passage 17 in cooperation with a bushing member 16' welded to the pedestal 37.

The cap portion 36 can be made by any conventional sheet metal forming process, such as by drawing, rolling, spinning, etc., with the threads 39 thereon being preferably formed by rolling rather than by machining.

The closure caps 14 and 14' are basically similar in function, although differing in detail, and have peripheral lip portions 40 and 40 respectively disposed in overhanging relation to the end 41 of their respective container neck portions 13 and 13. To assure a good pressure and gastight seal between each closure cap 14, 14 and its corresponding container neck 13, 13, a gasket member 42 is disposed between the underside of each lip 40, 40 and the neck ends 41 which can be expediently enlarged or bead-shaped as illustrated. Thus, when the closure caps 14, 14 are screwed down, each gasket 42 is placed in sealing engagement withb'oth the underside of the lip 40, 40 and the neck end 41 to prevent of pressurized fluid therebetween,

As can be appreciated by the artisan, other gaskets, such as the gasket 43 used for sealing the dispensing valve 18 to closure cap 14 connection can be provided.

Furthermore, it should be noted that it is not absolutely essential that a dispensing valve of the type exemplified by the valve 18 be used. For example, the valve 18 can be replaced by an external valve (not shown) such as a gate valve coupled to the threaded bushing member 16 or 16'.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will become apparent to the artisan that the container assembly 10, 10 construction can be modified in numerous obvious ways, all within the scope of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the following claim wherein we have endeavored to claim all inherent novelty.

What is claimed is:

A pressurized container assembly which comprises a container adapted to contain a pressurized fluid and having an aperture defined by a threaded neck portion, a closure cap having a threaded peripheral portion screwed into engagement with said threaded neck to seal said container aperture, said closure cap having a bushing part defining a fiuid flow passage extending therethrough to accommodate dispensing of pressurized fluid from said container, said bushing part being threaded at a first portion external to said container to accommodate the coupling thereto of a similarly threaded conduit means for receiving pressurized fluid dispensed from said container, said bushing part being threaded at a second portion communicating with the interiorof said container, said closure cap having a peripheral lip portion disposed in overhanging relation to the end of said container neck, an annular gasket disposed in sealing engagement with the underside of said lip portion and with the end of said container neck to prevent escape of pressurized fluid therebetween, a dispensing valve disposed within said container and screwed into engagement with said second threaded portion of said bushing part for communication with said flow passage to control the dispensing of pressurized fluid from said container, an internally threaded sleeve member extending through said closure cap for communication with the interior of said container, and a safety valve disposed within said sleeve member and screwed into engagement therewith for relieving excess internal fluid pressure within said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,648,575 11/1927 Campbell 222-397 2,605,848 8/1952 Carter 222-397 X 3,011,686 12/1961 Rockwell 222-397 3,029,981 4/1962 Webster et al 222--397 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3,357,601 December 12, 1967 Earle D. Crawford et al.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 3, lines 9 and 10, for "container wall area of the stem head 34 and the spring 33 preload." read container wall 31 and welded thereto as illustrated by FIG. 2.

Signed and sealed this 31st day of December 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, J r. EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

